Patrick Moore’s Practical Astronomy Series Other Titles in this Series NavigatingtheNightSky AstronomyoftheMilkyWay HowtoIdentifytheStarsandConstellations TheObserver’sGuidetotheSouthern/Northern GuilhermedeAlmeida SkyParts1and2 hardcoverset ObservingandMeasuringVisualDoubleStars MikeInglis BobArgyle(Ed.) AstronomyoftheMilkyWay ObservingMeteors,Comets,Supernovaeand Part1:Observer’sGuidetotheNorthernSky othertransientPhenomena MikeInglis NeilBone AstronomyoftheMilkyWay HumanVisionandTheNightSky Part2:Observer’sGuidetotheSouthernSky HowtoImproveYourObservingSkills MikeInglis MichaelP.Borgia ObservingComets HowtoPhotographtheMoonandPlanetswith NickJamesandGeraldNorth YourDigitalCamera TonyBuick TelescopesandTechniques AnIntroductiontoPracticalAstronomy PracticalAstrophotography ChrisKitchin JeffreyR.Charles SeeingStars PatternAsterisms TheNightSkyThroughSmallTelescopes ANewWaytoCharttheStars ChrisKitchinandRobertW.Forrest JohnChiravalle Photo-guidetotheConstellations DeepSkyObserving ASelf-TeachingGuidetoFindingYourWay TheAstronomicalTourist AroundtheHeavens SteveR.Coe ChrisKitchin VisualAstronomyintheSuburbs SolarObservingTechniques AGuidetoSpectacularViewing ChrisKitchin AntonyCooke HowtoObservetheSunSafely VisualAstronomyUnderDarkSkies LeeMacdonald ANewApproachtoObservingDeepSpace AntonyCooke TheSuninEclipse SirPatrickMooreandMichaelMaunder RealAstronomywithSmallTelescopes Step-by-StepActivitiesforDiscovery Transit MichaelK.Gainer WhenPlanetsCrosstheSun SirPatrickMooreandMichaelMaunder ThePracticalAstronomer’sDeep-sky Companion LightPollution JessK.Gilmour ResponsesandRemedies BobMizon ObservingVariableStars GerryA.Good AstronomicalEquipmentforAmateurs MartinMobberley Observer’sGuidetoStellarEvolution TheBirth,LifeandDeathofStars TheNewAmateurAstronomer MikeInglis MartinMobberley FieldGuidetotheDeepSkyObjects LunarandPlanetaryWebcamUser’sGuide MikeInglis MartinMobberley (ContinuedafterIndex) Setting-up a Small Observatory: From Concept to Construction David Arditti With a Foreword by Patrick Moore David Arditti BSc, MSc, PhD. British Astronomical Association [email protected] LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2007931612 PatrickMoore’sPracticalAstronomySeriesISSN1617-7185 ISBN:978-0-387-34521-5 e-ISBN:978-0-387-68621-9 ©2008SpringerScience+BusinessMedia,LLC All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part withoutthewrittenpermissionofthepublisher(SpringerScience+BusinessMedia,LLC, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilar methodologynowknownorhereafterdevelopedisforbidden. Theuseinthispublicationoftradenames,trademarks,servicemarks,andsimilarterms, eveniftheyarenotidentifiedassuch,isnottobetakenasanexpressionofopinionas towhetherornottheyaresubjecttoproprietaryrights. The publisher makes no representation, express or implied, with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and cannot accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may be made. Observing the Sun, along with a few other aspects of astronomy, can be dangerous. Neither the publisher nor the author accepts any legal responsibility or liability for personal loss or injury caused, or alleged tohavebeencaused,byanyinformationorrecommendationcontainedinthisbook. Printedonacid-freepaper 987654321 springer.com Contents 1 Telescopes and Techniques........................................ 1 What is an Observatory?........................................... 1 Of Telescopes and Allied Equipment ............................... 5 Visual, Film or Electronic Observing?............................... 23 A Summary of the Options........................................ 29 2 The Observatory Site.............................................. 31 Selecting the Best Site............................................. 31 How Large Should It Be?.......................................... 34 Environmental Considerations..................................... 37 Statutory Planning Requirements and Building Codes................ 40 3 Types of Observatories............................................ 43 A Fully-Portable Setup............................................ 43 Removable Telescopes with a Fixed Mounting....................... 46 Run-Off Sheds.................................................... 48 Run-Off Roof Observatories ....................................... 51 Domed Observatories............................................. 56 Totally-Rotating Observatories..................................... 59 Novel Designs.................................................... 60 4 To Build or To Buy?............................................... 63 Costs of DIY and Ready-Made Observatories........................ 63 Adapting Commercially-Made Outbuildings......................... 65 Employing Others to Build Your Observatory....................... 66 v vi Contents 5 Techniques of Construction........................................ 69 Tools............................................................ 69 Foundations and Stability ......................................... 70 Materials and Joining Them....................................... 74 6 Finishing the Observatory......................................... 85 Paint and Preservation............................................ 85 Flooring.......................................................... 86 Regulation of Temperature and Humidity........................... 86 Security.......................................................... 88 7 Organising the Observatory........................................ 89 Electricity........................................................ 89 Lighting.......................................................... 94 Storage of Equipment............................................. 96 Cables........................................................... 97 8 Comfort and Convenience......................................... 99 Observing Positions, Chairs, Ladders, and Platforms................. 99 Warm Rooms and Automation..................................... 104 9 Some Case Studies................................................ 113 Bob Garner’s Observatory: CCD Imaging from a Converted London Garage................................ 113 Martin Mobberley’s Plastic Shed Adaptation and His Telescope on Wheels.................................... 120 Olly Penrice’s Observing Retreat in the South of France.............. 128 My Observatory: A Combined Run-Off Roof and Run-Off Shed Construction.................................. 136 Dave Tyler’s A Priori Fibreglass Dome.............................. 155 Norm Lewis’s Observatory: An Experience with a Commercial Dome....................................... 165 Es Reid’s Solar Observatory........................................ 172 Richard Miles’ Compact Remote-Controlled Photometric Facility............................................ 179 Mike Morrison-Smith’s Dobsonian Storage Box ..................... 183 10 Maintaining and Getting the Best from Equipment.................. 187 Collimation ...................................................... 187 Cleaning Optics................................................... 196 Adjustment, Cleaning and Lubrication of Mechanics................. 199 Preventing Dew................................................... 200 Polar-Alignment for Equatorials.................................... 202 Balance, Accessories and Extra Telescopes.......................... 204 Software ......................................................... 215 Final Thoughts................................................... 218 Contents vii Appendix 1: Observatory Manufacturers................................ 219 Appendix 2: Useful Web Links......................................... 221 Index................................................................. 225 Foreword Two books in this series, Small Astronomical Observatories, have been widely read and used. This new book by David Arditti gives the full story – how to chooseatelescope,howtoconstructanobservatoryforit,andhowtomakethe best of it when completed. Astronomyisthebestofallhobbies;itcantakeupasmuchtimeasyoulike– or as little. In any case, you will make many friends, and give yourself endless enjoyment.Tobeaproper“astronomer”youneedanobservatory,andthisbook tells you how to set about making one. Follow David Arditti’s advice, and you will not regret it. Here’s to clear skies! Patrick Moore ix Author’s Preface Books on amateur observatories are quite rare, and most, if not all of them, in the past, have taken the form of collections of articles on particular observa- tories authored by their builders. The two books on observatories in this series already published, Small Astronomical Observatories, and More Small Astro- nomical Observatories are of this type. While useful, a danger of this approach is that it leaves gaps, and can be inconsistent in style and coverage. Discussing it with John Watson, the UK astronomy editor for Springer, we considered that it might be time for a more systematic and logical approach to be taken to the subject. Discussing it with other practical astronomers, there was also a feeling that the coverage of the subject in print had not kept pace with the technical developments that have transformed amateur astronomy, at least for some, in the last couple of decades, and that the examples in print now seemed rather old-fashioned. This book is the result of these considerations. It became apparent to me, in writing it, that the real-life examples are very important and informative, and I have made these a major part of the book, while attempting to cover most of the possible approaches to the amateur observatory, from the simplest, cheapest, most portable and low-tech, to the most sophisticated and up-to-date, and covering both the DIY angle and the commercial. It is not possible to be completely comprehensive within a reasonable amount of space, and time to research, so I have also done my best to point readers to further sources of information on the subject, which will now come predominantly from the web. I have tried to write the book which would have been most helpful to me, when Ifirstsetaboutbuildinganobservatory.Ifithelpsanybodyelsetoachievetheir goal of a practical and successful small observatory, I would be delighted. Edgware, 2007 xi